Cooking Breeze: Easy recipes and wine pairings: My Juicy Apple Life

Lately I've been on an apple kick. I cannot get enough of apples! The scent, the taste, the color of apple blossoms and shiny red and green apples.... I am smitten! Apples are bright, sweet, cleansing and satisfying. In case you hadn't noticed from my other posts, when I get on a "kick" with something, I truly incorporate whatever it is into my daily life in multiple ways. The apple trend is one I've been riding for a few weeks now. As the summer comes to its fullest point, I am looking ahead to fall, relishing the day I go apple-picking!    ......My Juicy Apple Life.....

1.)    Apple-cinnamon bagels from Country Bagel with walnut-raisin cream cheese from Bagels Over Broadway in West Chester.

Bagels Over Broadway also serves Green Mountain Coffee... Yum!   If you like Green Mountain, you may be surprised to learn that prices on single-serving Green Mountain "K-Cups" for Keurig brewers are likely to go down this winter!

Homemade bagels by Savvy Baker. Click here for recipe.

2.) Apple themed home decorations

I got mine on clearance from LAST fall's leftovers. With fall just around the corner, brand new stuff is filling the shelves day by day. You can't go wrong with an apple centerpiece! Whether faux or real, apples bring a pleasing smile to the onlooker. And who says apples have to go with pinecones? Fresh flowers look great, too!

Photo by Michelle Rago

3.) Apple cider

Forget the Woodchuck you drank in high school. Apple cider is all grown up. There are reports that it's the next big "microbrew" trend, particularly on account that it can be made locally in the U.S. and it's gluten-free. One thing is for sure, sales are growing. I am not sure where all the cider drinkers have been hiding because it's really a classic if you find the right brand. Esquire magazine gives a good intro of food pairings for highbrow domestic ciders. If you are truly highbrow like me, however, you enjoy a good cider from the British Isles. My favorites are Strongbow for a light cider (English origin) and Samuel Smith's cider and related fruit flavored ales for a change from the everyday.

4.) Raw apple pie

The "raw food" movement is about eating a diet rich in fresh nuts, legumes and berries among other raw foods. Food is not generally cooked above the low 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I will feature more information on the raw food movement in upcoming posts. For now, I let you know that a favorite dessert for people on a raw diet with a wide appeal is Apple Pie, a classic dessert that tastes delightful cooked or raw. Recipe by Rawmazing.